Battle of Bucha

Battle of Bucha
	Part of the Kyiv offensive in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Date	First phase:; 27 February – 12 March 2022 ; (1 week and 6 days); Second phase:; 29–31 March 2022 (3 days)
Location	Bucha, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine
Result	1st battle:; Russian victory and occupation 2nd battle:; Ukrainian victory and regained control
Belligerents
Russia	Ukraine
Commanders and leaders
Gennady Bayur †; Azatbek Omurbekov	Anatoliy Fedoruk
Units involved
Russian Armed Forces Russian Airborne Forces 76th Guards Air Assault Division 104th Guards Air Assault Regiment; 234th Guards Air Assault Regiment; ; 56th Guards Air Assault Regiment; ; Russian Ground Forces 35th Combined Arms Army 64th Motor Rifle Brigade; ; 36th Combined Arms Army; ; National Guard of Russia SOBR; OMON; 141st Motorized Regiment ("Kadyrovites");	Ukrainian Armed Forces Ukrainian Ground Forces; Ukrainian Air Force; Irregular civilian volunteers (militia and guerillas) BuchaVarta;
Casualties and losses
Hundreds killed; At least 100 pieces of military equipment lost	Unknown
	Per Ukraine: 458 civilians killed; Per United Nations: 73 civilians killed

The battle of Bucha was part of the Kyiv offensive in the Russian invasion of Ukraine for control of the city of Bucha. The combatants were elements of the Russian Armed Forces and Ukrainian Ground Forces. The battle lasted from 27 February to 31 March 2022 and ended with the withdrawal of Russian forces. The battle was part of a larger tactic to encircle Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine.^[14]^[15]

The armed forces of Ukraine resisted the Russian advance in the capital's western suburbs of Irpin, Bucha, and Hostomel.^[14]^[15] Bucha was among the locations that the Kyiv Oblast State Administration named as the most dangerous places in the Kyiv Oblast.^[16] After Russian forces withdrew from Bucha and Ukrainian forces regain the city's control, reports of uncovered atrocities by the Russian military attracted international attention.

^ desk, The Wall Street Journal (31 March 2022). "Ukrainian Troops Push Forward as Russian Forces Regroup and Give Back Control of Chernobyl". Wall Street Journal.
^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, APRIL 1". Institute for the Study of War.
^ Свобода, Радіо (1 April 2022). "Павлюк: на Київщині від військ РФ звільнені Броварський район і більша частина Бучанського". Радіо Свобода.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Mark Krutov; Oleksandra Vagner (6 April 2022). "As Evidence Of War Crimes In Bucha Mounts, A Hunt For Russian Military Units". Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
^ "Who is Azatbek Omurbekov? Commander believed to be behind Bucha killings". Newsweek. 6 April 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
^ "Mayor of Bucha on slain civilians: We 'get the impression' Russian troops had 'green light from Putin'". MSN.
^ Schreck, Carl (6 March 2022). "'Sent as Cannon Fodder': Locals Confront Russian Governor over 'Deceived' Soldiers in Ukraine". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
^ "Ребята, сугубо гражданские, чуть ли не во время боя гуглили, как пользоваться оружием»: рассказ участника партизанского движения".
^ Pete Shmigel (31 March 2022). "Partisan Pensioners Versus Russian Tanks: Tales from Bucha One Year Later". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
^ Stern, David (3 April 2022). "Bodies and Rubble in the streets of Bucha following Russian retreat". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
^ "Ukraine says it destroyed Russian military convoy outside of Kyiv". The Times of Israel.
^ "Bucha counts toll of Russian occupation". BBC News. 23 April 2022.
^ "United Nations Documented 50 "Unlawful' Killings In Bucha Amid War". NDTV.com.
^ ^a ^b "Latest Military Situation in Ukraine, 27 February 2022 (Map Update)". Islamic World News. 27 February 2022. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022. On February 27, the southern areas of Hostomel Airport, including Bucha and Irpin, witnessed one of the heaviest battles in the past four days between Russian and Ukrainian forces. Russian forces trying to block the western entrances to the city of Kiev by advancing in this area.
^ ^a ^b Clark, Mason; Barros, George; Stepanenko, Kateryna (27 February 2022). "Russia-Ukraine Warning Update: Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, February 27, 2022". Critical Threats. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
^ "Буча, Ірпінь, Гостомель: Кулеба назвав найнебезпечніші місця Київської області". depo kyiv. 2 March 2022. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.

[counter-1] sk, The Wall Street Journal (31 March 2022). "Ukrainian Troops Push Forward as Russian Forces Regroup and Give Back Control of Chernobyl". Wall Street Journal.

[april1-2] "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, APRIL 1". Institute for the Study of War.

[radiosvoboda-3] Свобода, Радіо (1 April 2022). "Павлюк: на Київщині від військ РФ звільнені Броварський район і більша частина Бучанського". Радіо Свобода.

[Krutov_Vagner-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Mark Krutov; Oleksandra Vagner (6 April 2022). "As Evidence Of War Crimes In Bucha Mounts, A Hunt For Russian Military Units". Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 10 April 2022.

[Who_is_Azatbek_Omurbekov?-5] "Who is Azatbek Omurbekov? Commander believed to be behind Bucha killings". Newsweek. 6 April 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022.

[6] "Mayor of Bucha on slain civilians: We 'get the impression' Russian troops had 'green light from Putin'". MSN.

[7] Schreck, Carl (6 March 2022). "'Sent as Cannon Fodder': Locals Confront Russian Governor over 'Deceived' Soldiers in Ukraine". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

[8] "Ребята, сугубо гражданские, чуть ли не во время боя гуглили, как пользоваться оружием»: рассказ участника партизанского движения".

[9] Pete Shmigel (31 March 2022). "Partisan Pensioners Versus Russian Tanks: Tales from Bucha One Year Later". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 14 May 2023.

[WaPo02April-10] Stern, David (3 April 2022). "Bodies and Rubble in the streets of Bucha following Russian retreat". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.

[11] "Ukraine says it destroyed Russian military convoy outside of Kyiv". The Times of Israel.

[12] "Bucha counts toll of Russian occupation". BBC News. 23 April 2022.

[13] "United Nations Documented 50 "Unlawful' Killings In Bucha Amid War". NDTV.com.

[Islamic_World_News2-14] "Latest Military Situation in Ukraine, 27 February 2022 (Map Update)". Islamic World News. 27 February 2022. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022. On February 27, the southern areas of Hostomel Airport, including Bucha and Irpin, witnessed one of the heaviest battles in the past four days between Russian and Ukrainian forces. Russian forces trying to block the western entrances to the city of Kiev by advancing in this area.

[Critical_Threats-15] Clark, Mason; Barros, George; Stepanenko, Kateryna (27 February 2022). "Russia-Ukraine Warning Update: Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, February 27, 2022". Critical Threats. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.

[16] "Буча, Ірпінь, Гостомель: Кулеба назвав найнебезпечніші місця Київської області". depo kyiv. 2 March 2022. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.

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